Izaih Melendez, State Amateur Boxer Of Year, Fights Saturday

Izaih Melendez was a skinny 16-year-old kid when he took up boxing, showing none of the signs of the stereotypical fighter: cockiness, confidence and showmanship, in and outside of the ring.

"He was shy ... knew nothing about boxing," said Angel Gonzalez of East Hartford, Melendez's coach and trainer. "He has changed a lot but I want him to be more aggressive."

The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame recently named Melendez, a southpaw who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Thanksgiving, the Connecticut amateur boxer of 2014.

"It has been fun on this journey," Melendez said. "Meeting everyone, the role models who keep me focused. If I never did boxing, I don't know where I would be. I could have been in the streets doing I don't know what."

Gonzalez volunteers his time training Melendez and other boxers out of Bare Bones Boxing in East Hartford. He said his goal with Melendez is to help him qualify for the 2016 Olympics and then prepare him to turn professional.

Melendez has been gaining experience; he has already boxed in 28 fights the last two years. His next fight is Saturday night in Holyoke, Mass. One of his more memorable fights was four years ago against the national Golden Gloves champion and now professional boxer Toka Kahn-Clary, when Izaih lost the decision in a tough fight in the USA Boxing New England vs. Connecticut Box-Offs at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

According to Jose Melendez, Izaih's father, boxing runs in the family. His grandfather, Jose "Papo" Melendez was a professional boxer and his great uncle, Luis Davila, was a lightweight champion in New England and won a gold medal for Puerto Rico in the 1971 Pan American Games. In the 1972 Olympics, Davila lost a 4-1 decision in the first round to France's Guitry Bananier. He was 24-6-1 as a pro.

"He could be better," Jose Melendez said of his son's skills in the ring. "I try to teach him where he got his talent from. I am impressed at how far he has come, but he still doesn't know what he has inside."

Melendez said his son is respectful and has built a fan base because of his unassuming demeanor.

"Then again when he puts his work in the ring he is technical ... patient. He just doesn't know his potential."

Antonio Marrero, a professional fighter who knows Melendez well, likes what he sees.

"He doesn't back down. He is a unique boxer," Marrero said. "He is not a slugger. There is an art to boxing and that is how Angel has trained him."

Melendez, who lives in Hartford, said Hector Rosario, another former boxer in the city, also has trained him.

"You know how [Muhammad Ali] said float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?" Melendez said, cracking a smile. "Well Angel is like the bee, he is aggressive and helps me with my combos and pace. Hector is like the butterfly ... we work on my footwork and jabs."

Melendez, 5 feet 7 and a "couple of pounds" over his 132-pound weight class, attended Putnam High in Springfield, and was a wide receiver on the football team before his family moved to Hartford.

He has a twin brother Isaac, two older twin brothers and a stepsister.

In addition to training five days a week, Melendez works full time as a paint technician at Legrand Wiremold in West Hartford. He often rides his bike back and forth to work and then to the gym or catches a ride with friends since he has no car.

Marrero said he wishes more young people would get into boxing because he considers it such a positive mental and physical workout.

"Don't make the mistake I did in life and wait until you're older to get into the sport," Melendez said. "Time is everything."